Björk Goes Experimental In “Volta”

When I first heard Björk’s album Volta (2007), I thought, “Hmm, wow.”

I’ve been a fan of Björk for quite a while, and having listened to several previous albums (this is her sixth) Volta is definitely different. This new batch of material contained sounds influenced by African beats and instruments, all while maintaining her very unique style. This was experienced with the very first track, “Earth Intruders.” The track has an infectious beat; listening closely to the lyrics may evoke some earthly images in your mind. For those who haven’t listened to the Icelandic singer before, I recommend that track as a first taste to her one-of-a-kind voice and lyrical style.

However, I must say compared to past albums, Volta is a slight disappointment. You can almost hear that the whole album was an experiment, and that Björk really went out on a limb making this. Her effort before this set, titled Medulla, was creatively composed of human vocals as instruments. It was a successful venture for her music career. InVolta, the tribute to African beats and sounds doesn’t resonate well with me, and wasn’t worth backing and entire album behind.

Overall, Volta is a good album, but it didn’t blow me away like I had hoped. For those who are already fans of Björk, I say grab your swan dress and party on. If this is your first listen of her, I suggest listening back to her other albums to get a better grasp of her uniqueness – it really shouldn’t be overlooked.